Keep Those Sinners AWAY from our Church: Coyote Ugly Go Home!
- Posted by: Todd
- Posted on: Wed, May 28, 2008
- Viewed 102
- (36) comments so far
Here’s more from the newspaper report...
So… what if this happened to your church? Would you oppose the restaurant? Or would you look at this as a great opportunity for more new people to make it into your neighborhood… people that need Jesus who you might be able to reach?
And if you chose the “let’s embrace this” thought… how would you actually use this restaurant as an opportunity to reach people, (and not just to go out and have some good wings after the service)?
I’d love to hear your thoughts.
Todd
So, what would you do if a Hooters-style restaurant decided to set up show directly across from your church? That's what is happening to the First Prebyterian Church near Charlotte. Church members began circulation letters against the proposed Coyote Ugly Restaurant.
The Beerean puts it this way: "To be honest, I didn’t know what to think when I first read about the situation. I can understand where the church might be coming from. Most of us wouldn’t want a place that is known for half-dressed women using sex to sell booze to horny men moving in next to where we meet to worship. But the other side of me says this is a great opportunity. This is an opportunity to have the lost right at your front door. The people that go to this place, go to try to fill a void in their lives. Those that are in the church have the only thing that will ultimately fill that void. Jesus."
Comments
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David on Wed, May 28, 2008
Interesting new “what if” for churches as they rediscover their mission. Much more appropriate than the old 70s question of “If your church burned down…”
Peace,
Clayton Bell on Wed, May 28, 2008
Way to give TheBeerean.com some love!
Melody on Wed, May 28, 2008
I don’t think I’d be comfortable allowing my teenager to drive to youth events during the evening hours with a large party bar across the street.
But it’s the residents of that neighborhood I feel sorry for. We’ve had similar issues relating to bars in our area. These drunks cause all kinds of mayhem in the neighborhood, making noise, urinating in people’s yards, and so forth. The church should stand with the neighborhood; these are part of their mission field as well.
The church may want lost at their front door, but I don’t think that the retirees and families who live around there do. A better ministry to bar goers would be to offer free transportation home, and leave them on their front steps with a business card, phone number, and offer for a ride to church Sunday morning.
Brian L. on Wed, May 28, 2008
I think in this case I would side with the church, especially if it was in or near a residential area.
If it was in more of a commercial zone, then I wouldn’t mind it so much, but being the dad of five kiddos (two of whom are adolescent boys…) I wouldn’t want it in my neighborhood. I think the church should support that.
Brian L.
Bruce Gerencser on Wed, May 28, 2008
Let’s see:
Half-dressed women
booze
horny men
To escape….......oh there is no escape. Embrace the culture. Change the culture.
I seriously doubt what happens at Coyote is much different than what many of them thar fine Presbyterians watch nightly on TV.
Brian L. on Wed, May 28, 2008
Okay, read the newspaper article.
1. I certainly can’t blame the residents for not wanting this in their neigborhood. I wouldn’t want it in mine.
2. Not sure if the church should have been the ones to start the complaint process. If it were started by members who were actually living in that neighborhood, I could see myself (as a pastor) supporting it.
3. I have to admit to a bit of a quandry on my part. Still sorting through this. We have a strip club just a few blocks from the church, and I pray for the owners and girls frequently, since I have to drive by it just to get to the grocery store. I would love it if they came to church or if some other opportunity presented itself where I could share Christ with them.
Brian L.
Donnie Miller on Wed, May 28, 2008
This is a great discussion. We’re almost three years old and we meet in a school with no thought whatsoever to having a building. But I can relate to thist story because my wife started a ministry in our church called “Love Wins” that is an outreach to the two strip clubs in our county. My wife initially wanted to find ways to love the ladies who danced there, but it’s turned into relationship building all throughout the clubs. My wife brings gift bags once a month to pass out to the dancers.
What’s been incredible, though is how we’ve been able to partner in ministry with one particular club. This club has raised money for our church to help serve a needy family and even joined our church on a service project to a nearby homeless shelter.
At the service project, I had an amazing conversation with the owner of the club. He told me about churches in our denomination protesting his club and other clubs in the downtown Kansas City area. There was a story on the news showing the protestors, one was holding a sign that read, “we’re praying for you.” Which seriously cracked me up!
But this story points to the question that Christ-followers have to ask themselves, “do we protest” or “do we love.” Anytime we hold up a sign or try to pass legislation to force people to live the way we want them to live, we push them a bit farther away from Jesus.
Brian L. on Wed, May 28, 2008
Donnie -
I think what your wife and you are doing is fantastic!
How many people are willing to actually take light into the darkness like that? Aside from you and your wife - I could probably count them on one hand.
When the Spirit begins to speak to these folks, who are they going to come to with questions? Not the protesters, that’s for sure. They will make a bee-line to you.
I pray that it happens soon!
Years ago I was part of an on-line discussion where a local strip club had an annual car wash for charity. This particular year they picked a church’s homeless ministry. The pastor was in a quandery as to whether or not to accept the money.
Many pastors said - “Stay away from the devil’s money” (or words to that effect…). Part of the concern would be that the ladies wouldn’t exactly be wearing burquas (sp?) if you know what I mean.
I said, “Go for it! This is a great opportunity for you to highlight how even though you have fundamental differences about strip clubs, you can come together for a common cause like homelessness. And have some of your spiritually mature ladies there to serve them lemonade and sandwiches. You’ll never have such a great opportunity to share the love of Christ with these folks who may never darken the door at any church, much less yours.”
Way to go, bro. Tell your wife that I think she is very brave.
Brian L.
Paul J. on Wed, May 28, 2008
The way I see it, any time the world comes knocking on the door of the church, then the church has an opportunity and an obligation to show the love of Christ.
That’s how we’re handling the mosque that’s going up next door. http://www.mondaymorninginsight.com/images/smileys/grin.gif
SSCoach on Wed, May 28, 2008
I think we’re stuck in the “location” mindset. How cares whether the new establishment is now located across the street from your church? Church isn’t a building. WE are the church. The battle between loving grace and destructive sin isn’t confined to buildings. Living out a missional lifestyle 24-7-365 is what’s at issue here. How are we living out as Christ in our relationships with those whom God leads into our journey?
Joe Louthan on Wed, May 28, 2008
I would only hope that I would be worthy enough to have a church surrounded by bars.
SSCoach on Wed, May 28, 2008
Nice thought, Joe. The best way to do that is to frequent them yourself, if YOU are, in fact, the church.
CS on Wed, May 28, 2008
Donnie:
First, thank you for working on reaching the lost. I hope that in giving things like gift bags to the strippers, you are also giving the full Gospel message.
“Anytime we hold up a sign or try to pass legislation to force people to live the way we want them to live, we push them a bit farther away from Jesus.”
I have to disagree with this comment. By this logic, any law that echoes the Ten Commandments, or the Two Great Commandments should be stripped off the record. This would include adultery, theft, perjury, and murder (abortion). We have to stand for what is right, no matter what the situation, even if it “forces people to live the way want them to live.”
—
CS
Daniel on Wed, May 28, 2008
Great conversation so far.
CS—some laws are obviously better than others. The question is whether or not it is the Church’s job to see that those laws get passed. I say: NO.
As Christians our job is to be the Church—not the State. As citizens, we may try to influence the State, as long as there is no conflict with our primary allegiance (though I submit that this is very dangerous), but I think the examples given above show what is most honoring to God, and what best serves God’s reputation.
Peace,
-Daniel-
Bruce Gerencser on Wed, May 28, 2008
Our doing right does not require legislation or picketing. Legislating morality attempts to gain conformity without Jesus.
For all our laws….........how is it working out for the morality police? Need more laws?
While certainly there can be a consensus social code that all agree upon (natural law perhaps) attempting to regulate every aspect of life by law is unwise AND unproductive.
If the atheists were the majority, would you still be in favor of them having the opportunity, “law wise” to do what they thought was right? Atheists have a moral code just like Christians. Which code shall we follow? It is not enough to say “the Bible says so.” The postmoderns say “so what.”
The less laws we have the better.
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